Black Diamonds
by Admired
Summary: As the Uchiha coup d'etat seems to thread on the horizon, the Hyuga begin to make their move; gain control over Konohagakure. In the course of one night, the most important decision is made within Konoha, and a mission is assigned to three shinobi. Neji, Shisui, and Itachi; eliminate the Uchiha and Hyuga clan. Ratings may change. Possible NaruHina. AU.


**NOTICE: This story is originally on my Pasuteru account, but I forgot the password. So this is a repost!**

Literature just seems to flow when you listen to ambient music. Please, give this story a chance!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 1: A change in their lives

[Four years before the canon]

"With all due respect, Hiashi-sama, it's practically trivia that the Uchiha are boiling in a kettle pot. They will rise up to the conflict, using us as their first assault against Konohagakure. We'd practically be bait; destroying most of the front line in order for them to make way and finish off what we started."

Hiashi gazed with thought present. The younger Hyuga made a point that he'd already went over with the more trusting side of the head family. "I've already went over this with part of the regime. The entire fleet isn't part of the Konohagakure assault. We have a hefty size fleet that will be situated around the clan compounds."

The other Hyuga was swift. "We have an advantage over the Uchiha, Inuzuka, Kurama… Though I'm more concerned on the Aburame. It isn't trivia-"

"I know. Long range combat." He stood from the mat, looking over the few silent Hyuga in the meeting room. "Before I was made Chunin, I fought against an Aburame. In fact, I was on a genin team with one; Aburame, Shibi. I've observed their style, and I know their weaknesses. If you stand before me worried about their… pests… then I shall spread my knowledge to you and the regime. Training will be necessary, keep that in mind."

"Hiashi-san," an elder spoke up, raising from the mat. "I would like to know whether or not the branch house will be informed."

Hiashi smirked, shifting his gaze towards the window. The man had an unknown motive that seemed to hide more malice than mystery.

As solitary as the streets were, there was a heavy presence amongst Konohagakure. Carrying more burden than the Hyuga, and more mystery than the Uchiha, deep within the Hokage Monument's secret meeting room, verbal conflict and strong disagreements were taking place.

"Sarutobi, I'd like to voice my opinion on the matter."

"Granted, Danzo."

The bandaged man rose from his seat, staring down upon the two clan members kneeled before him; one Hyuga, one Uchiha. After a quick glance, he shifted towards the Hokage, dropping a report in on Sarutobi's desk. "It is well known that clan meetings must be planned, and a brief explanation is given to the council a week before this meeting is given."

Sarutobi gazed over the report in confusion. "I-I don't know what you're saying," slightly laughing at his paranoid friend. "We were given an explanation on Monday about the meeting. Hiashi was planning on discussing the improvements to the branch house to the branch side of the Hyuga."

"Ah, but Sarutobi-san, if you look closely at the photograph, you will notice some members amongst the few that are wearing the given bandage across their foreheads…" He paused, checking for Sarutobi's attention, which was given. "Though, you may notice that the present Hyuga are from the main house."

Sarutobi blanched, before gazing at the other Hyuga in the room. "Neji, has your father been informed about the meeting?"

Said Hyuga shook his head. "No, Hokage-sama. The branch house has not been informed, though we have noticed key members of the main house disappearing, as well as Hiashi, at these meetings."

Sarutobi nodded, standing deeply in thought. "Raven," an ANBU member, clad in the standard ANBU gear sporting a mask resembling a raven dropped from the ceiling. "I need you to examine this photograph and find out exactly who was in this meeting. After you identify, please bring me the criminal records of each member. Hiashi is an exception. This is a B-rank mission, and you must not be seen grabbing the records."

The ANBU member nodded, before vanishing from the room. Sarutobi began rubbing at the bridge of his nose, stressing over the situation. "Okay, Neji-san, you're dismissed. I'll be calling you to my office sometime before Monday, so you are on leave for the week. Dismissed."

Neji rose from the ground, bowing to each member in the room, besides the present Uchiha in the room.. "Thank you, Hokage-sama." Walking towards the exit, Neji gave the Uchiha a cold glare, which didn't go unnoticed by the latter.

Danzo was the first to break the silence. "Itachi-san, I'd like for you to go over your findings."

"Yes, Danzo-sama." He rose from his knees and bowed before the council, before kneeling once again. "First, it seems as though our speculation was wrong. Our present members in the clan do not possess the prowess to control the Nine Tailed Fox, as I speculated. Moreover, it seems that every Friday, around 0400 hours, a great number of the family disappears, most likely to do what we have thought; secret meetings." Homura shifted in his seat, before sharing a knowing eye with Sarutobi. "Finally, I have estimated that we have by the end of this month before the coup d'etat is finalized and put into fruition."

Sarutobi leaned forward, raising his voice. "And you are absolutely sure of this information?" Itachi nodded, resulting in Sarutobi to sigh. "We need to speed up the peace talks. Itachi-san, please inform Fugaku-"

Danzo slammed his fists on the table, rising from his seat. "Damn the peace talks! They're not going to work against the stubborn Uchiha!" Itachi clenched his teeth, biting his tongue to hold back words of hatred. "My past notion remains; elimination of all Uchiha."

Homura stood swiftly, pointing a finger at Danzo, before looking at Sarutobi. "Why the hell is this man even here? I'm sure we all know about his hatred towards the Uchiha clan anyways, so of course this is going to be bias!"

"Now, now," Sarutobi began, raising his hands in a surrender position parallel to his chest. "We must keep calm. Danzo, please specify."

Danzo nodded. "I'm a reasonable man. I vote that we speak to Hiashi and Fugaku, without giving them the idea that we are curious to their absences and such. Though, I do believe we question their standing on Konohagakure, and what they believe should become of said village."

Sarutobi nodded, before blanching. "What… else do you have in mind, Danzo."

"My vote also extends towards the notion of exterminating the Uchiha clan. If both clans stand as one, I also vote for the extermination of both clans."

"Father, where do you keep disappearing?"

Hiashi looked upon his eldest daughter. "Do not worry, child. I am simply talking to the clan about more mature matters. Do not associate, or attempt to understand what has been occurring."

Said daughter flinched at her fathers harsh words, before nodding. "Yes, father."

Hiashi gazed at his daughter once more, before side stepping her and moving forward. "Hinata, please do attempt to mask those fearful emotions. It's not proper."

Hinata watched her father walk away quietly, with royalty in each step. She never understood why he looked down upon her. A question of why he stood against her stubborn nature came across her mind, before she buried it, though that wasn't the only thing she buried. Sitting down, her face dug into her knees, her arms crossed above said knees. She wasn't crying; she learned that crying was a sign of the highest form of weakness, and she did not see praise from those antics. Far from it. Instead, she went deep in thought, questioning everything that has gone on in the past month.

"Hinata-san." A recognizable voice spoke to her;_Neji,_ she thought briefly. A sliding sound, like a back against a wall, sliding to the floor, sounded out to her sensitive ears. She could tell he was sitting next to her, so she courageously gazed towards her cousin. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying." She put her hands towards her eyes, noting the wet presence below her lower eye lid. _Why do I always ignore it? _"Or I was." _I still am._

"Silly cousin." Neji addressed her, before looking towards the wet grass in front of them. They sat on the wooden floor, their heads sheltered due to the present wooden ceiling. They both gazed at the falling rain, and the forming mud around the miniscule training grounds. The practice dummies red paint dripped to the ground, and what was a red target now seemed unnoticeable asides from the red blotch of paint that remained. "Look, Hiashi-sama is just stressed. He'll be fine soon. You know how he is."

Hinata nodded, before breathing roughly in through her nose to suck in the mucus threatening to fall from her pink nose. "I know, it's just… He never has time for me anymore. I miss how we were. He's a mean-y head now!"

Neji laughed softly, before wrapping an arm around his cousins waist, drawing her closer to his slim figure. "I understand. I even agree! But don't let him know you said that."

Hinata's eyes widened, before she gazed at her cousin. "Oh, please oh please don't tell him I said that, Neji-kun!"

"I won't. Wouldn't dream of it." Hinata nodded, resting her head on her cousins bony shoulder. "Anyways, Hinata-san, I need you to promise me something."

"Yes, cousin?"

"No matter how hard it gets, do not let your strength falter. Find something you hate, and grow strong because of it. Defeat it, and after this happens, become one with the village. Live on. Be strong." Hinata fixed her eyes on the rain trailing down from the sky, letting her mind wonder on the subject of what her cousin was bringing forth. "And… because… The Hyuga clan won't always be around."

"What do you mean, Neji?"

The questioning voice wasn't that of Hinata, but of Hiashi. Neji masked his surprise and fear swiftly, and looked on at his fathers brother. "I'm simply giving Hinata-san words of wisdom."

Hiashi paused, before nodding. "You're dismissed, Neji. Hinata, please come with me." Hinata nodded, standing up quickly to follow her father.

"Remember what I said, Hinata." Neji softly spoke to no one in particular. The statement was too soft to travel to anyone, and the girl he wanted to inform was too far ahead, gazing back at her cousin. "Remember."

The Uchiha compound was practically empty due to the rain. Everyone was indoors, taking shelter from the falling liquid. It wasn't raining too hard, though it was enough to drench you within a few minutes.

Though, empty as it was, two Uchiha were not hiding from the rain. Uchiha, Sasuke, and Uchiha, Itachi.

"Big brother, what is the Hokage like?" Sasuke questioned, gazing up at his older brother with wonder present in his eyes.

"Now, which one? Because I know how you confuse all kage with Hokage." His younger brother looked confused, so Itachi sighed before explaining. "Let's take this rain for example. There is a village out west called the Hidden Rain Village. It's in the Rain Country. Their kage is called the Amekage."

"For Amegakure? So, if that's true, then why isn't our Hokage called the Konkage?" Sasuke wondered out loud.

"That I do not know, but back to the point." Itachi bit his bottom lip briefly. "Actually, I guess there isn't much left to say."

Sasuke caught onto his brother's slow thought process. "Is something the matter, big brother?"

"It's just been a rough day. I'm just wanting to rest."

The two made it to their compound, each entering before shutting the door. Sasuke spoke first. "Seems that mother and father are out."

Itachi's senses heightened briefly. "Sasuke, please go to your room and remain there. You're not in trouble, just do as I say."

Sasuke's eyes lowered, thinking that he may have annoyed his brother. "Oh, sorry. Yes, big brother."

"You didn't do anything wrong. This is for your safety. Do not question it."

Sasuke nodded, smiled briefly in relief, and headed towards his quarters to rest for the night.

"I noticed that most of the chakra signatures were masked. Fugaku and Mikoto were also not present in the compound, so I'm assuming it's for the worst."

Sarutobi and Danzo nodded, before Danzo spoke up. "What do you think is going on, Itachi?"

"I believe that they are informing the clan about the civil war. That being said, I believe that my past notion is incorrect." Sarutobi blanched, while Danzo moved forward. "I believe the coup d'etat shall be arriving tomorrow."

Danzo raised from his chair. "Now, do you see what I mean by stubborn? I believe now that the massacre-"

"It shall be done." Sarutobi spoke, his elbows on the table with his hands clenched, eyes closed. Danzo was surprised by this, considering this was the first time his older team mate had agreed with anything regarding Danzo's ideas. "Itachi, I shall be giving you an SS-rank mission. This shall be the most heavily guarded secret in all of Konohagakure's history. Also, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of yours."

A man with wild hair, fair skin, and the standard Uchiha gear walked out from behind Itachi. The latter froze, recognizing the chakra. "Shisui?"

"Hey there, man." Shisui smirked with an eye smile, waving comically at Itachi.

"Shisui was our inside man with the Hyuga. Today, both of you will work together in slaying the two most prominent clans in Konohagakure; Hyuga and Uchiha. There will be no disagreements here, this shall happen. So no one shall speak, understood?"

Both Uchiha warily nodded, before the door opened behind them. Shisui spoke first. "Hyuga, Neji?"

"He's in on this too, Shisui." Itachi assured his best friend, who in return nodded.

Sarutobi gave the confused Hyuga and explanation on the events that have occurred in his absence, as well as his new mission. "Before, I was going to give each of you the mission on confirming the rising conflict that has been presented to us today. Though, it seems that it'll be too risky to further our investigation, so in the sake of the lives of the Konohagakure civilians and ninja today, we're at our final card."

The two Uchiha and remaining Hyuga kneeled before the Hokage. Sarutobi continued. "Uchiha, Shisui and Hyuga, Neji; you both shall be paired up on the SS-rank mission solely focused on the elimination of the Hyuga clan. This shall begin tonight, at around midnight. I suggest slaying the head members first, before moving onto the stronger members. The civilians shall be eliminated last; this includes the children. How you kill the members of the main house is entirely up to you, but I still have remorse for the branch house. Please, eliminate the men, women, and children of the branch house swiftly and painless. This goes to the non-shinobi main house men, women, and children."

The two nodded, though Neji was still processing this information. Sarutobi glanced at Itachi. "Uchiha, Itachi; you are a shinobi in your own league, so do as you must. This is an SS-rank mission; eliminate the entire Uchiha clan. Mercy or not, this does not matter to me. Just please see to it that every single Uchiha has been deactivated." Itachi nodded, and Sarutobi glanced at each member in the room. "Each and every one of you will be placed in the Bingo Books as S-Rank ninja, and you will be hunted down. I shall not give missions regarding the elimination of you individuals, though if you come close to the village, I must do what is necessary. You will be regarded as criminals that murdered each clan with no remorse, and without reason. You cannot return to the village. Is this understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The three individuals said at once, bowing.

Sarutobi nodded. "I shall give each of you one final wish in payment for what you all are about to encounter and endure. You shall not wish forgiveness or different stories regarding the elimination of the clans, as well as the return to our village. So, decide now, please. Itachi?"

"I wish for Uchiha, Sasuke to be the sole survivor of the clan, with no harsh treatment towards him. All funds in the Uchiha clan shall be given to him. If my wish is not promised, I shall return with violent intentions."

Danzo and Sarutobi both nodded. "We planned this to begin with. Granted." Sarutobi spoke, before moving on to the next shinobi. "Shisui?"

"I wish to obtain information for this village, to stay as a huge supporter in our spy network. Shall Jiraiya-sama be informed on this secret?"

"Granted," Sarutobi spoke, before nodding. "Most of the higher council and corporations shall be informed. Jiraiya included. Do you wish to work for his spy network?" Shisui nodded, "Granted. Now, Neji?"

"I wish for what Itachi wished for; safety of my cousin, Hinata."

Danzo and Sarutobi nodded. "We also planned for this. Granted."

Each of the three shinobi had butterflies in their stomachs, as well as being completely nervous. Today was the day the entire nation changed due to their motives and actions.

"If that is all, you are all expelled from your shinobi status in Konohagakure. You're all nuke-nin. Your mission begins."

Shisui and Neji stood on the outside of the clan compound, on the west wall. "It's almost midnight. Should we go door to door, or should I cause a distraction and eliminate them at the source?"

"That would risk the death of Hinata, and I can't have that. Do you know what she looks like?" Neji questioned, staring slightly off to the left, noticing a bird flutter out of the tree.

Shisui smiled, before nodding. "I've actually talked to her before. She's a nice girl. A little shy, if you ask me." Neji sighed with relief, before looking back at the wall. "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

"Alright, shall we begin? Most of them seem to be sleeping."

"So… you joined their side."

"Father, mother…"

"There isn't need for explanation. I know you'll keep Sasuke safe. I know you'll make this quick and painless."

Itachi's tears just seemed to flow without end, before he launched his sword forward, impaling his father and mother. Moments later, his little brother appeared in the room. "Itachi…?"

"I knew that you were holding back your true potential. The fact alone that you grew to this strength… it's remarkable, child."

"I've known about your plan. I know exactly what you were planning to do, and for the protection of the village, I must go against this." Neji's fist lit up, byakugan flaring. Hiashi kept his hands in his lap, despite his impending doom bringer behind him.

"I judge that you kept Hinata safe?"

"She's the only one living after tonight."

"And what has become of the clan so far?"

"They're all deceased."

Hiashi sighed, before nodding. "I see. So there really isn't a choice here. It's over."

"Father?" A meek voice spoke, before the sliding of a door. "Father- Neji? What… what's going on?"

"Gaze on, Hinata," Hiashi spoke with authority in his voice. "Neji, do not kill me, please! Have mercy!"

Neji grunted in distaste before connecting the tips of his fingers at the back of Hiashi's neck, severing the elders head before Hinata's eyes. Hinata screamed, before falling on her back, scooting away from the scene. Forgetting that she did not shut the door, she misjudged the presence of a wall behind her, and she tumbled backwards, hitting her head against the wooden floor. Neji rushed forward, grabbing her by the neck, raising her eye level.

"N-Neji, I don't understand… Why did you kill father?" Hinata questioned, tears flowing down her face.

Neji smirked, slapping her to the floor. He maintained an insane grin, eyes wide like a lunatic. "Why, I simply murdered the entire clan…"

"…to see where my abilities stood amongst…" Itachi began, staring down his little brother.

"…the entire clan. The children were murdered… the women were murdered…" Neji drew closer to his little cousin, drawing a kunai.

"…and the entire family. Murdered. I gave them no mercy… I simply slowly killed each and every one of them."

Sasuke shook his head, crying loudly. "No, no, you're lying. You didn't… you didn't do this to me! To them!"

Itachi smirked, his eyes changing to a new shape, something Sasuke had seen before… something that scared him to no end. "Well, let me show you exactly what happened."

Moments later, Sasuke fell to the floor, barely clinging onto consciousness. "I've never loved you. I've always hated you, Sasuke. Though, that's another story. I must be leaving. I want you to remember these eyes, and to come before me and fight me with these exact eyes so I can finally judge my strength. And to achieve these eyes," He paused, before turning away from his brother. "Is to kill your best friend."

"Is it done?"

"Yes." Itachi replied to the masked man. Said man was leaning down over every deceased Uchiha, taking each eye from each socket.

"I'll be moving onto the Hyuga compound soon," He paused. "I noticed that you spared that boy in there."

"He's my brother."

"Ah, well…" The masked man vanished in a swirl, leaving Itachi to his thoughts briefly

He turned towards the compound, noting every pinch of everything. He took a mental picture, sighed, and headed towards the rooftops. It was time he became independent. It was time his life reached it's final stretch. "Sasuke, please stay strong."

"Sarutobi-san, it seems that the mission has been completed."

"Danzo, I'm not too happy with this, so please, leave me be." Sarutobi sighed, pinching his nose for what seemed like the thousandth time today. "I think it's time we set up Sasuke's funds. We need to transfer all Uchiha funds to Sasuke's account. And I need to figure out something with what Shisui wished for."

"You sound quite uncharacteristic, Sarutobi." Danzo joked, making a seal and vanishing the room.

"This is all exactly what I needed today. And to make things worse, the paperwork is going to be ridiculous. I think it is time to retire for good."

The next day, Sasuke awoke in a bed that was not his. Completely absent of his memories on the night before, he laid back confused. He took note on every object in the room, taking in the white walls, white bed sheets, and silver machines. "Hospital. Why am I here?" He tried to recollect events that happened the night before, but just couldn't remember anything beyond leaving the Academy with his brother. Where was his brother? Shouldn't he be in here with him? Itachi usually worried over things like this.

He looked over and noticed that there were no flowers by his bed. Had no one come to visit him? He then noticed the glass of water. Grabbing it, he took a sip, though the liquid reminded him of… "The rain yesterday. It rained." That was a good start. He remembered something further than leaving the Academy. What else? He thought a little longer, trying to remember certain events.

A nurse entered his room, giving him a sad smile. "Oh, good, you're awake. How're you feeling?"

Sasuke paused before speaking. "I'm fine. Why am I here?"

The nurse's expression changed from pity to worry. "Um, hang on, please?" She rushed out of the room before he could give her a response. Moments later, an elder man entered the room.

"Sasuke?" The man questioned, looking on in worry. Sasuke nodded. "Well, what do you remember from yesterday?"

"I remember waking up and showing my father my fire jutsu. I remember eating with my mother, and then going to school. We did sparring yesterday at school. I lost…" He gazed over to the window. "Uh, also I remember walking home with my brother… it was raining… then blank."

"Ah, I see. I don't know how to put this, but…"

"Where is my brother-" Sasuke's eyes widened. He remembered everything. Everything that transpired the night before. "Oh. I remember."

In another building, Hinata stood before the Hokage, more stable than the Uchiha. Sarutobi was a man that endured wars, battles, tough decisions, and things beyond what any man should endure. His perception was something that was respected by all shinobi, so it wasn't that hard to notice that the girl in front of him was completely broken. She wasn't holding back tears, there just simply wasn't any left. She had drained all emotion the night before. It was something he'd seen back when ROOT was in effect; the children devoid of any emotion.

"Hinata-chan, how are you feeling."

"Hn." She shrugged her shoulders, looking on deeply into the floor. "Nothing. I feel nothing."

"Open up to me, Child."

Hinata trusted the man, so she sat down in the chair in front of the Hokage's desk. Sighing slowly, she began showing off her stoic posture, royalty stemming from every foundation in her being. She was truly a beautiful sight. "I hadn't had much interaction with the clan, so I don't really know anyone personally in the Hyuga clan. The few that I did know, for one, I didn't really have much history with either. Though I did cry for every death that day." She paused, shifting her gaze towards the window. "My father, though, as much as I pretended to love him, I was just fooling myself. I realize now that I wasn't really anything to him."

"I see. So, are you contempt with the situation? Or do you hold any grudges?" Sarutobi questioned, putting his elbows on the table, and resting his head against his knuckles. This was the matter of the subject he was most interested in.

"I… I feel hatred? It's a foreign feeling. Though, I want to hurt Neji. I don't know why." Hinata answered, looking at her hands briefly.

"An Uchiha was also present with Neji in the elimination of the Hyuga clan."

"Hm?" Hinata's interest was peaked with Sarutobi's response. "What do you mean?"

"Uchiha, Shisui. A… former jonin of the Hidden Leaf. He participated in the death of your clan." Sarutobi responded, leaving a stunned Hinata.

"Does this mean that the Uchiha played part in this?"

Sarutobi sighed, closing his eyes. "Hinata-chan, last night, the Uchiha were also murdered by Uchiha, Itachi. The only survivor being Uchiha, Sasuke."

"Oh." Hinata paused. "Why would someone do this? How can someone be dragged into such deep hatred?"

"I do not know, Hinata-chan." Sarutobi glanced at the girl, who in return began crying. "I-."

"What the hell happened, sensei?"

The one and only Jiraiya the Gallant appeared in the room, using the door for once. He gazed at the girl in the room, and then back at the Hokage. "I was gone for a month, and this shit happens. What is this?" He walked forward, taking the second chair in the room. "Why was a quarter of the Uchiha clan murdered?"

"A quarter?" Sarutobi sighed. "Jiraiya, the entire Uchiha clan was murdered. As well as the Hyuga. One member of each clan remain in the village."

"…W-what?" Jiraiya's eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets. "Who…?"

"Uchiha, Shisui and Hyuga, Neji eliminated the Hyuga clan while Uchiha, Itachi eliminated the Uchiha clan. The Hyuga clan compound was also burned down, which we think was from Shisui. Hyuga, Hinata, this girl here, is the remaining Hyuga. Uchiha, Sasuke, is the remaining Uchiha."

Without question or pause, Jiraiya put the girl in question. "Is she homeless?" Sarutobi nodded. "I'll adopt her."

"What!" Hinata and Sarutobi questioned. Sarutobi more out of question, and Hinata more out of surprise. Sarutobi spoke up first. "You do realize that this is going to be a huge gamble with the council, correct?"

"I'm prepared. You forget that you raised me, sensei. I'm only doing what you would do. You know you would take her in if you were younger." Jiraiya responded, looking confidently at the young Hyuga. She gazed back in wonder, trying her hardest not to look away and show weakness. "How long would it take?"

"Most likely around a month or so. I don't necessarily know for sure." He gazed at the younger Hyuga. "How do you feel on this?"

Hinata paused. What would she want? She always wanted to be independent, but now she's scared to be alone. "I don't like being alone. But… I don't know him. Who is he?"

Of course, Jiraiya was the first to respond. "Why, child, I'm simply the one and only God of all shinobi, the relic of all women's dreams, the strongest of all mankind, the guru of love, and the master of literature; Jiraiya, the Gallant and Gutsy Ninja!"

The room sweat dropped while Jiraiya maintained his comical pose. Hinata giggled, much to everyone's joy. At least she maintained emotion.

A few hours later, the group got to know each other. Hinata opened up a little bit more, and Jiraiya found to enjoy the little girl. Sarutobi was glad that the meeting carried over into his break, to which he used up with the group. Each of the three brought up memories, each depressing and comical. Hinata found out quite a lot about what it takes to be a Hokage, also finding out about the dangers of paper work. Though, she also found out how powerful Sarutobi really was, as well as Jiraiya. She was surprised to find that Sarutobi taught all three of the Sannin, and that Jiraiya was one of them. She also was surprised to find that Jiraiya taught the fourth Hokage, the one she looked up to. As their stories were finished, Jiraiya took Hinata out into public and promised her lunch.

That was a few minutes ago, and the present joy of the situation was replaced with a steadily growing emotion that devoured the room; malice. Sarutobi now faced Uchiha, Sasuke, and it didn't seem like this one was as joyful as the Hyuga. He had met him before, and he was surprised to see that the joyful Uchiha transformed into something resembling Itachi; cold, calculating, and mysterious. He couldn't quite pin the tail on this case, and that scared the elder Hokage to his very core.

He had found that this boy wouldn't open up as much as Hinata, and he wasn't planning on it any time soon. The only thing he had found so far was that the boy had an underlying motive that was as present as the sun; kill Itachi. It saddened the elder; such a strong boy with much potential succumbing to hatred. Though he guessed that it was only natural. How could one's respect for someone stay present after they steal everything away from you?

"I understand that you intend to find your brother and kill him. Though, I'd like you to understand that Itachi was quite gifted-"

"I do not want to hear of his praise. I have had enough of that when my Father was around."

Sarutobi recoiled at the harsh words, though he realized that it wasn't meant to be as so. Sasuke simply wanted to forget all about his brother. Deep inside, Sarutobi felt guilt. He attempted to tell himself that he wasn't the reason this happened, that it was mostly Danzo's fault, but he simply couldn't do it. This entire subject's foundation was built strictly by Sarutobi's will. He could have stopped it, but he didn't. And innocent lives had to pay the price for his decisions.

"I understand. But do you really understand?"

"Yes."

There really wasn't much to talk about, so Sarutobi got straight to the point. "The entire Uchiha funding system has been pinpointed to your account. In fact, you have enough to live a life without work."

"I'm going to be a shinobi."

"Alright." Sarutobi frowned. "Well I guess that is all. I wish you good luck. You're dismissed."

[4 years later]

"So we're down to Team Kakashi, Team Kurenai, and Team Asuma." Sarutobi began, taking a puff from his long, wooden pipe, inhaling before blowing out the smoke. "Any suggestions so far?"

"The trio should stay the same this year. Hatake is going for the Uchiha, and Kurenai is voting for the loudmouth Inuzuka, so I think that leaves Asuma." An elder spoke out, looking around the table. "Any objections?"

One hand rose up, and Sarutobi called upon him. "Homura, what do you think?"

"Judging on the Nara's scores, it shows high test grades, though his participation is very low. It resembles you, Shikaku." Said man groaned, though his smirk was apparent. "It seems as though he's just as lazy as his father, though I think he's holding back. So I'm placing him at the highest for knowledge. My point is, wouldn't it be more formable if we put the Nara on the team with the Haruno, who has the highest test scores for the kunoichi's, and the second highest overall test scores."

"While that's a good analysis, Homura, I'd suggest putting the Haruno on a team with the lowest overall scoring shinobi; Naruto." Sarutobi began, looking over his councils disdain when the name was spoken. "As well as being paired with the strongest shinobi, Sasuke, in order to balance out the entire team."

A few council members spoke out against the claim, one comment stood out. "The Uzumaki's… special power… will be flourishing during any given time! In the end, he'll most likely surpass Sasuke, giving the team the strongest overall stats."

"As that may be true, it's not happening any time soon. These aren't jonin, they're genin, and they could get hurt easily." Sarutobi paused, before gazing at Danzo. "What do you think?"

Said man smirked. "I think we should put the Hyuga on the team with the Uzumaki-brat and the Uchiha."

"Why?"

"Well, simply because each member is the last of it's own. For one, the Hyuga and Uchiha could come to an understanding, and this could balance out Sasuke's violent intentions. Though this is just a hypothesis, it could work, it could not. We won't know for sure. Though, in the end, the Hyuga is in the top fifteen percent for strongest graduate, and in the top five percent for smartest graduate. So it'll be a little more balanced than adding the strongest and smartest." Danzo finished, pride swelling in his very being.

A few nods of agreement sprang out, and Sarutobi concluded his decision. "I agree with Danzo. Therefore, this team shall consist of Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Hyuga Hinata. Moving on to the trio, do we all agree? Yes, okay. So this team will consist of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji."

"So that brings us to the final team, right? Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino?" An elder questioned, looking around the table at each clan representative with their spoken surname.

"I believe that it's already been decided. Therefore, I shall call upon the jonin and decide on which team is give to whom." Sarutobi sighed with relief. "Dismissed."

An hour later, multiple jonin were standing in front of the Hokage, awaiting their given genin team. There were three teams left to give. The air was tense; disagreements, arguments, and words of malice were sent around the room. Sarutobi spoke over the loud voices. "All jonin with their teams already assigned shall be dismissed. Await further instruction." And as he spoke, shoulders slumped and sighs of relief were sounded out, as multiple Jonin finally were able to go to their homes and rest for the day.

Though Yuhi Kurenai, Hatake Kakashi, and Sarutobi Asuma remained, much to said jonin's dismay. Kurenai spoke first. "I believe that I should lead the orphan team, considering my strong ties to their mothers and fathers. Further, Kushina did tutor me when I was on a genin team. And on the genin team was an Uchiha and Hyuga, so I have the best knowledge of their fighting styles."

"Ah, Hokage-san, I do believe that I was also on a team with an Uchiha, as well as being tutored by Minato-sensei, Naruto's father. I had good ties with Kushina-chan as well, and close ties with Hinata's adoptive father, Jiraiya-sama." Kakashi began, sweating profusely. Kurenai was a difficult opponent, and she didn't seem to be close to giving up. "I also have the Sharingan, therefore I could prove use to Sasuke when his develops."

Kurenai groaned, but looked over to Asuma for support, the latter raising his hands in surrender. "H-Hey, I already have my team."

"Then why the hell are you hear, Asuma-teme?" Kurenai grounded out through her clenched teeth.

"Ah… well…" Asuma formed a seal, and vanished from the room, leaving a pile of leaves on the ground.

Sarutobi sighed, and mumbled. "They never use the door. And they always leave a mess. Who's going to clean those leaves, not me, not me-." He cleared his throat. "Anyways. I believe that Kakashi-san is most likely the best motive, though most jonin will think I'm being bias due to your history with the fourth Hokage. Therefore, I'm sorry Kakashi-san, but I believe Kurenai is the best choice."

"I see."

Kurenai fist pumped the air. "Hya! In your seemingly always covered face, Kakashi!" She paused. "Seriously, why is it always covered? Honestly…" Sarutobi cleared his throat, and Kurenai blushed.

"If you're done, I'd like to get to this paperwork as fast as possible. Dismissed."

Today was one of those days where the clouds just seemed to become nonexistent after dawn. It wasn't hot, but it wasn't cold, though it didn't seem mild either. The weather was just so insignificant today, that no one paid heed to the temperature. An example of this would be Naruto, as he was head over heals today. The night before, he had learned a new jutsu, fought and won against Mizuki, a chunin, and graduated the Academy. He also got free ramen.

Walking along the alley ways, Naruto noticed something odd. The fence. Why was part of the fencing turned sideways? As well as the fence seeming to own shoes? "Who are you?" The fence seemed to crumple to the ground, replaced by a young boy half his height. "Oh, it's just you."

"As expected from my number one rival!" The boy exclaimed, giving Naruto a thumbs up and a cheeky smile. "I can't wait to be as strong as you, boss."

"Boss? And I know I'm strong, but it doesn't take a genius to see that the fence was fake, yanno?" He smirked at the boys falling smile. "Eh… who are you again?"

The boy face faulted. "Konohamaru!"

"Oh, right, the pop's grandson."

"No, just Konohamaru you dummy!"

"What was that, prick?"

"What's a prick?"

Naruto sighed, turning away from the younger boy. He took a few steps before the younger boy caught up to him. "Wait, boss, teach me that jutsu you used to defeat the old man!"

Naruto thought about it, long and hard. Or more like one second. "Actually, I might enjoy that! Just kidding. No."

"Ugh! C'mon, man!"

"Ew, I'm not into that."

"What does that even mean?"

"Ugh, you're too innocent." Naruto dug his hands into his pockets, pushing out his bottom lip and keeping his eyes closed. "I don't feel like it, kid. Go bother someone else! I don't associate myself with stuck up kids."

Konohamaru sighed, before pushing Naruto, which didn't do much but fail, resulting in him falling onto his behind. Naruto turned around, noticing the boy on the ground. The boy spoke first. "I'm tired of everyone seeing me as the honorable grandson! I want to be seen as Konohamaru, not Konoha, not Hiruzen, not the Hokage's grandson! Just me! I get all this special treatment, when I just want to be treated as a normal person. So if you keep calling me in his name, I'm gonna pound you, man!"

Naruto smirked. "You remind me of myself, kid. I'll tell ya' what. If you can complete the jutsu, then I'll call you by your name for now on, alright_Konoha_?"

"You got it, boss!"

"Alright, it seems that you really can't get much hotter than that. So, stay in that form, and we'll walk into the female bathing house and let you do some research on the female body."

"Alright boss!"

It seemed as if they stepped into the bathing house, and were tossed out the next moment. On their behinds, rubbing their heads, each of the two boys groaned in pain. "I forgot. Last time I went here, the jutsu failed. Everyone saw me."

"You're an idiot, boss."

They stood there, absent in their own thoughts. Naruto recollected how the boy was, and came to a decision. "I'm not your tutor anymore."

"What?""You remind me too much of myself. I believe that with a little determination, you can become a great shinobi."

"I'm going to become the next Hokage, boss- Naruto!"

"Haha, and if you want to become the next Hokage, then you need to kick my ass first!" Naruto rose his voice, trying to elevate the mood. "We're rivals from now on!"

"I agree! You better watch out, I'm gonna be as strong as you soon!"

"Keep dreaming, _Konoha_."

"Hey!"

It wasn't a surprise that Hinata was one of the few people in the world that were morning people. Her mood was persistent, though in the mornings, everything was bliss. At 0500 hours, Hinata stood outside in the backyard of her compound completely naked, stretching. It was a great feeling to not worry about prying eyes, and to feel the cold on her delicate, pale skin. Jiraiya was a pervert, yes, but he wasn't that big of a pervert, so she didn't have to worry about the man appearing. The man wasn't even here, sadly. He was out doing business with his spy network, something that kept him far from home almost all the time.

Finished with her warm up, Hinata stood up, walking towards the wet grass that led towards the practice dummy. Getting into position, she began with her daily routine of kicks. Two hundred with the left leg, and two hundred with the right leg. Though while doing this, she spaced off into her own thoughts. Today was the day that she would be assigned her team. It was depressing, really. It was already happening. She was going to be forced to kill soon, and the thought alone depressed her.

Finishing with her kicks, she shifted into a different position, and began punches. Three hundred with the left fist, and three hundred with the right fist. She was already getting a feel for her new body. It wasn't unknown to the public that the little Hyuga was filling out, finally getting her feminine features. She was an early bloomer for sure, and she relished in the thought. Though, personally, she did. But out in public, she hid herself under layers of clothing. Jiraiya was sure to inform her on what boys thought about the woman figure, and she didn't want boys looking her over. That was embarrassing!

Moving away from the dummy, Hinata dropped down with her belly towards the ground, and she began push ups. One hundred and fifty on her hands, and one hundred and fifty on her knuckles. She noticed how easy it was now to do these tasks, compared to how it was when Jiraiya first assigned her the work out. Obviously, it was quite difficult to go from barely working out, to working out all the time, and Hinata remained sore for days when she first began. Though, she had to thank the man when he returned.

Shifting over to her back, Hinata began her crunches; four hundred. As she was doing so, she began recollecting on how long it had been since she'd seen Jiraiya. Six months. She missed the old pervert, and as much as she indirectly teased him, she still loved the mess out of him. He took her in when she was broken, and he slowly built her up. It was a new feeling, actually feeling loved. She hadn't felt it since her cousin, Neji, and she really needed the feeling.

Standing up, she began her jumping jacks routine. Seventy five jumping jacks. She began giggling when her breasts bounced irregularly. Even if no one was around, she still felt embarrassed. Her face grew a light tint of red, but she pushed the thought to the back of her head. It was instead replaced with the idea of Naruto. What if he saw her working out like this? Would he like it- no. Why was she thinking like this?

It wasn't unknown that the girl had a huge crush on the boy. She hadn't seen him in a while, and she was missing his presence. When her cousin murdered the entire family, everything about her changed, though the crush she had on the boy remained. She hadn't really spoke to him since the day he saved her from the bullies, even then, she still didn't speak to him. She remembered that day like it was yesterday. Those kids teasing her for her eyes, and then the bigger boy pushing her to the ground. And who comes out of no where to save the day? Naruto. Even if he was beaten up, he still saved her. And since that day, she had been so into the boy that it hurt.

Did he even know that she existed? Probably not. He seemed to get a lot of attention from the others, so it was unlikely. She still never understood why he was so popular. From the way people were interacting with him, always teasing him, he must've been liked amongst the many. Right? They were being nice, right? She never really got the chance to find out, but she was sure. She liked how he always smiled at their teasing, and would always attempt to prove them wrong, and to never give up. She admired the boy because of this. She just wished there was a way they could get closer. Somehow.

She finished her jumping jacks, and decided that it was time to move on inside. As soon as she set foot inside, she felt ten times colder than what she felt like outside. How could it be colder inside than outside? She rushed to the bathroom, turning on the hot water in the shower. She waited briefly before stepping in, softly and swiftly moaning in delight at the hot touch of the water. She let her figure stand in the water, like she always did, and just thought about things.

It had been four years since her cousin left. She attempted to think briefly on the subject, to not let her mind dwell on the negative thought. She maintained her pacifist nature, as well as remaining optimistic. Things would get better. Jiraiya had took her in, and he had shown her more love and attention than her family did. She tried to tell herself that if her family were still around, she'd be less happy than how she was with Jiraiya. The man was a saint, and he took her in, ignoring all her flaws. He was her savior, and she'd be damned if she let anything happen to him. There wasn't much she could do, but she would fight for his safety.

She thought about Sasuke. The boy seemed to ignore every girl, always moving away from them and never letting them sit with him. Though, with Hinata, it was a different case. He'd let her sit next to him. She remembered how one day, he had his kunai pouch in one chair, and the second he saw her, he moved it out of the chair to allow her to sit down. He seemed to have keen interest in her, though he wouldn't admit it. There was just a mutual understanding between the two, as if the silence spoke thousands of words.

She then thought about Hiruzen. They had grown closer over the years. And he was one of the two people in the entire universe that knew about her crush on the Uzumaki. Jiraiya being the second. Once Hiruzen told her about Naruto visiting almost as much as she did, she demanded to know about him. And with each story, she drew deeper and deeper in love with the boy. Though, unlike most girls, she knew what real love was. Jiraiya had informed her on this, and she instantly realized that she was far from it with Naruto.

Hiruzen told her all about the boy; he wanted to be the next Hokage, he wanted people to respect him, he always ate ramen, he loved the color orange, the loved plants. Those were among the many things that he had discussed with her. In a way, she kept note of these things so when the time came, she'd know exactly how to talk to the boy.

Five minutes had passed in the shower, and Hinata was already drenched. She began putting lavender scented shampoo into her hair, lathering it smoothly amongst her scalp, before washing it out. Grabbing the conditioner, she also lathered that into her hair, the smooth scent of vanilla mixing with the lavender. It formed a beautiful scent, she believed. She let the conditioner set for three minutes, before letting it wash out. After lathering her body with the body soap and cleaning her face, Hinata stopped the water and stepped out of the shower, rubbing down her body with the towel.

Hinata always started with her feet, because she disliked leaving water on the floor. Though, to her dismay, there was still water on the floor from the shower. Spotting Jiraiya's clothes on the floor in the bathroom, which he must have forgot like always, she used her foot to mop down the water that remained with one of his shirts. The floor was now dry, and so was her body, so she wrapped the towel above her chest and stepped out of the bathroom, moving towards her room.

She sat down on the stool, gazing into the mirror. Her cresses stuck to her face, which was red from the heat of the shower. Grabbing a brush, she began brushing out the knots and straightening out the wet hair. It always seemed to frizz out in the back, though without flyaway's. It was more like her hair was more thick in the back then the front, though her father used to tell her it reminded him of her mother, so she dealt with the thick hair.

Twenty minutes later, it was dry, so Hinata stood from her stool and moved over towards the drawer. The top drawer contained her necessities. She chose her color; lilac panties, with a lilac floral hem, and a lilac bra that stood a slight shade lighter than the panties. Putting them on, and clipping the bra shut, she closed the drawer and moved onto her clothes. The usual black leggings, tan hoodie, and standard shinobi sandals. She moved towards her mirror again, grabbing perfume. As usual, the smooth vanilla.

That's when Hinata noticed how plain her wardrobe was, and how plain she was. Though, she didn't like to change things up. She wasn't confident, but she hadn't received negative comments about her clothes before, so why mess with success? Though, she felt that she wasn't a child anymore, and becoming a genin was a big change in her life, so it was time she took a step forward and began her own big change. She pledged that she'd go out today, and somehow change up her outfit.

Leaving the room, she went into the kitchen and looked for something to eat. Gazing at the clock first, she noticed that it was 0600 hours, and she had a while to herself before she had to report to the rooms. The standard time was 1100 hours, but she'd leave early. She wanted a decent spot in the Academy, because she'd dislike to sit next to someone she didn't know. She was a very friendly girl, but her social anxiety got to her when she was forced into situations; such as sitting next to someone new.

Opening the refrigerator, she noticed the plastic container holding the leftover rice from last nights dinner. She took it out, put it in the microwave, and let it heat up. She thought briefly on how the day would turn out while she waited. Who would she be teamed up with? She was more of a tracker, so most likely with an Inuzuka. That'd mean she wouldn't be on a team with the mysterious Uchiha and her little Naruto. She could be paired up with one of them, but the probability of both was nonexistent. Fate didn't seem to work with her on these things.

The microwave stopped, and Hinata took out the steaming white rice. It wasn't much, but it would do. Pulling out the chop sticks from the cup in the middle of the table, she broke them in half, saying a silent prayer, and began eating slowly. She wasn't that hungry, so there was no point in being hasty. She'd wonder what Naruto would be like in the mornings. Would he even be awake at this time? What about Sasuke? Was he an early bird?

Once finished, she moved into the bathroom once again to brush her teeth and wash her hands. Her cousin taught her to sing the happy birthday song while washing her hands, that once it was finished, you'd have finished washing your hands for the recommended time.

She moved on into the living room, noticing it hadn't gotten much lighter outside. She told herself that she'd leave at 0645 hours, but in the mean time, she'd read a book. It was one of Jiraiya's non-perverted books, about a ninja named… Naruto? How did she just figure this out? She smiled, instantly more interested in the book. She read a hefty amount before setting the book down. She moved over to the door, grabbing her kunai pouch in the basket on top of the ledge that was connected to the wall, which was used to hold some ornaments and photographs. Opening the door, she began her journey to the Academy.

The sky wasn't very bright, but it was getting there. It was almost a lighter shade of blue by the time she reached the Academy doors. Opening the door, she stepped into the cold building, noticing it wasn't vacant at all, but the lights were on. She walked down the hallway until she found her room number. She opened the left door, and walked in, noticing she wasn't the only one here.

Shikamaru, the lazy genius, was in the front row, his head in his arms as he seemed to be resting. The other person, Sasuke, seemed to be leaning back with his eyes closed. Judging by his breathing patterns, he wasn't sleeping, but merely resting his eyes. She played it safe and walked up to the table, taking a seat next to the Uchiha. He opened his eyes briefly, but they softened when he saw it was her, as if in relief that it wasn't someone else. "Good morning," He spoke suddenly, closing his eyes.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun." Hinata smiled, then turned away from him. She looked around the room, noting all the things her class would leave behind as memories. Pens were stuck into the ceiling, gum was present under the desks, food stains present on the carpet. It was funny, though, as she remembered when the pens were launched towards the ceiling, as Kiba had done it during their first year. The food stains were from Sakura during her third year. The gum was most likely collected by Ino through out the year.

It was funny, those two. As much as they_pretended _to hate each other, they still sat next to each other. They always walked home together, and they were always the first to suggest being on a team with one another. Though, through out the day, the constantly competed for Sasuke's heart, as if they thought he'd finally give up and accept their dates. Ino and Sakura constantly fought, always arguing. But at the end of the day, it was always those two that seemed to be the best friends amongst the entire Academy. Asides from Shikamaru and Choji, of course.

Those two seemed to have some history, because they had been friends ever since the first year. She had to admit that they were both cute, in a non-flirtatious way. Shikamaru always corrected his friend, giving him advice when he would be troubled. And Choji was the one who always got his lazy friend to actually try on the tests, and to not be so lazy all the time. And when Shikamaru was asleep during note taking, Choji always took notes for his sleeping friend.

Then there was Kiba and Shino. That was an odd pair. Kiba resembled Naruto's hyper nature, while Shino remained as quiet and mysterious as Sasuke, though as smart as Shikamaru. The boy was also very blunt, saying exactly how he felt about Kiba's hyper fits. Kiba never let it get to him, though. And when it did, it was almost depressing how quiet and calm he would get. That's what separated Kiba from Naruto. Naruto never let these taunts get to him. He'd just remain as hyper as he was before.

Naruto always sat alone, but he seemed to like it. He used the privacy as an advantage against the teachers. Whenever he pulled a prank, he didn't have to worry about escaping the classroom with trouble when there wasn't many people near him to slow him down. Iruka, the teacher, always seemed to pick on Naruto the most. But the two seemed to have a slight relationship, like they weren't friends, but they were there for each other.

Hinata thought about the classroom for the remaining hours, and over time, the classroom seemed to fill out. Soon enough, it was bustling, and the main event was about to begin.

She let the entire environment sink in over the remaining moments. It was bittersweet. Kiba's loud bickering, Naruto's yelling and his ability to somehow appear at random locations around the room. Shino's quietness seemed to be extremely loud at the moment as she focused on it, and it seemed ten times funnier when Sasuke ignored the girls. Sakura seemed a little more fluttery than usual, and Ino seemed a little more blunt. Shikamaru was laughing loudly along with Choji.

Though it all ended when Iruka walked into the room. "Hello class. I just wanted to say a few things before I begin. This year has been the most annoying, but the most fun. We've had some great individuals in here, and I've probably seen the most talent that has ever appeared in Konoha. I'm assuming that some of you will be some well known ninja, and maybe one of you will become the next Hokage!"

"Hell yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, before the class erupted in laughter. Some people were actually tearing up at the fact that this was their final year in the academy. Some people were practically on the edge of their seats!

"So, I hope you all have had a great time. I know I have. I believe that all of you will become great shinobi. Just try not to die. Especially you, Naruto!"

"Hey!"

After everyone laughed once more, Iruka looked towards the paper and began announcing teams. Once certain individuals were called, they stood up and hugged some of their friends before saying goodbye and leaving the room. Finally, it seemed to get down to her. Iruka began; "Team Seven will consist of Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Haruno Sakura!"

Said pair seemed elated, well, Kiba did. Shino was just as antisocial as usual, and Sakura seemed depressed on the fact of not being on the same team as Sasuke. The group raised from their seats and began leaving the building. Iruka waved them off and wished them luck. "Now, Team Eight will consist of Uchiha Sasuke," Hinata gulped. "Uzumaki Naruto," Her heart practically started racing. "And Hyuga Hinata!"

She fainted. Oh, joy.

**AUTHORS NOTICE:**

**Did you guys enjoy the first chapter? I wrote this in one day, but it took me forever! It'll be important to notice that this story will be quite different from the canon, so be prepared! There will not be any god mode characters, and there will be some dramatic ups and downs.**

**Shisui is one of my favorite characters, so I felt the need to put him into the story. He has a comical personality in my opinion, so I wanted to see how it would be if Shisui was there to lighten up Itachi's depressing, brooding personality.**

**So now that you've read the story, review! Please, give me your opinion on the story so far! Any questions on the story? Ask! Any ideas? Tell me!**

**Hope you enjoyed. With love, **_**Pasuteru.**_


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